Rangers take on Premiership leaders Hearts in a 4:30pm kick-off at Ibrox, in what is set to be a defining day in this season’s title race.

Derek McInnes‘ side currently hold a five-point lead over Gers with 26 games played apiece, setting the stage for what could be an afternoon that throws the title race wide open, or goes some way to ending it.

As such, Danny Rohl won’t need reminding how big of an afternoon Sunday is for his team, but he may welcome word of a key Hearts trait that could unlock the game for his side.

Why Rangers must start fast against Hearts

Both Rangers and Hearts’ form has been somewhat up and down ahead of Sunday’s crunch showdown in Glasgow, with neither side putting a consistent run of results together over the last few games.

Rangers have won one and drawn two from their last three Premiership games, and are coming into Sunday’s game off the back of a 1-1 draw away at Motherwell on Wednesday night.

Gers played the final 12 minutes of that game with a man advantage, after Lukas Fadinger was shown a red card on 78 minutes, but Rohl’s side couldn’t cash in and conceded an 89th-minute equaliser.

Meanwhile, Hearts have won two, drawn one and lost one from their last four league games, but were able to pick up three precious points against Hibernian on Tuesday evening, winning 1-0.

The Jam Tarts won that game against Hibs thanks to an 88th-minute goal from Tomas Magnusson, and that late drama was no fluke for Hearts, instead, it’s becoming a real strength of their game.

Indeed, out of the last eight Premiership goals Hearts have scored, which spans across their last five league games, six of them have came in the second half.

Four of them have come with 80 minutes or longer on the clock too, and so that’s why it’s crucial that Rangers start Sunday’s game fast, and ideally, build up an early lead.

McInnes’ men have proven that they really grow into games the longer they go on, and so if Gers let them survive the early exchanges unscathed, the Edinburgh outfit could land a late knockout blow.

Rangers have shown that they can start quick

However, Rangers have provided ample evidence over the last few games that they can come racing out of the blocks, and score an early goal.

Out of their last three games in all competitions, Gers have scored within the opening 10 minutes of all of them.

Nicolas Raskin opened the scoring on six minutes against Motherwell, Ryan Naderi started the 8-0 rout of Queen’s Park with eight minutes on the clock, and James Tavernier converted a fifth-minute penalty against Kilmarnock respectively.

More of the same will likely be required against Hearts too, as it will be a very tough Ibrox ask for Hearts to play from behind early doors.

For even more Rangers news and updates, head over to Football Insider.